332 replies to this topic

[Nocturne]

Hmm... Well I suppose a developer should have all the same things as a player, but the player should have less than the developer in that they don't have developer tools... Just make a "Change account" option so that the player can change to developer if they wish.

[Pie Person!]

That's great, but what exactly? A website like this (I believe) needs a community, and the only option is forums..

It needs a community indeed, but a message board is not the only option. Hmm... I feel like doing some web design. I want to make an example for you.

[beatson]

Hmm... Well I suppose a developer should have all the same things as a player, but the player should have less than the developer in that they don't have developer tools... Just make a "Change account" option so that the player can change to developer if they wish.

So, basically just remove the "Development" part of the menu (and access to all the features on there)? As well as removing (when implemented) developer blogs? - Seems easy enough.

[Jobo]

You might also want to alter the way you talk to people, calling me an unprofessional 13 year old is in no way going to make me consider any of what you just said..

I'm sorry that's how you understood it as that was not my intention. I was merely comparing the given part of the website to that of a 13-year olds site, because that was my own attitude back when I was 13 and I wanted to make my very first website. The more the better. But that's a long time ago, and I'm a lot smarter now and I actually do know quite a bit worth listening to about quite a lot of things though that's not always how it seems.

If you went through all the website announcements I've been in, you'll find that I've posted the most here. This is without doubt in the top 2 of most promising websites I've seen here on the gmc, so I have a lot of interest in CrySet.co.uk.

That's great, but what exactly? A website like this (I believe) needs a community, and the only option is forums..

No, you don't need a community in the shape of a "normal" community like YoYo Games have here. What you need is player-developer interaction (blogs, comments, rating, reviews and such). The only contact your users need to you (CrySet) is a well-organized contact page.

What I'm stuck at is what would be the difference between the accounts? Its all well and good saying that players can post reviews, whilst developers get access to Developer tools, but what if a user wants both features of both types of account? I'd love some idea's on this, I don't want to be developing a multiple account type system without it being spot on - at the moment I'm putting together some profiles, and then I'll implement the developer blogs into those.

Standard account features: (this is not an actual account, but just a way to reference to the below list items)

• Play games
• Comment on games
• Comment on developer blogs
• Possibility to have accounts "secondary status" lifted to "Reviewer" and thus allow the user to write reviews (if account is developer, don't allow reviews for users own games)

Developer account features:

• Standard account features
• Upload (and control own) games
• Developer blog
• Rate other games

Player account features:

• Standard account features
• Rate all games
• Possibility to lift own users status to "Developer".

Edited by Jobo, 02 September 2011 - 06:09 PM.

[beatson]

--CUT--

Thanks for the interest. Like I said, I do appreciate the help you're giving me, as well as the help from everyone else.

Ok. So far I'v added the ability to switch between a player and a developer account from the dashboard. I'v Added profiles (Developer and Player profiles are different). Developers have their own blogs (although posting a blog entry is currently unavailable - will be available by the end of tonight though) and users can comment on all of the above mentioned... All I need to do now is add reviewers. Would anyone mind taking a look and seeing what they think so far?

Cheers

Edited by beatson, 02 September 2011 - 10:58 PM.

[Nocturne]

Okay, first, you still have a link to the forums on the blog page... it would be better if you removed it I think, rather than the "not available" message for clicking on it. Also, did you see my post in your Web topic? There is a formating error too with some things being shown over others when they shouldn't be... As for everything else, it seems good to me.

[beatson]

Okay, first, you still have a link to the forums on the blog page... it would be better if you removed it I think, rather than the "not available" message for clicking on it. Also, did you see my post in your Web topic? There is a formating error too with some things being shown over others when they shouldn't be... As for everything else, it seems good to me.

I'd forgotten about that. Removed the post entirely as it is irrelevant now. Didn't see the post, I'll take a look now

Edit: Developers can now post new/edit existing blog entries.

Edited by beatson, 03 September 2011 - 12:38 AM.

[Jobo]

If you did not receive this e-mail, please check your spam folder and allow upto 24 hours for it to come through.

First of all, I was a little disappointed when I saw that the activation e-mail wasn't already in my inbox when I logged into my e-mail.. Waiting 24 hours isn't really my cup of tea Usually php scripts just send the e-mail immediately, I don't know why yours wouldn't.

I guess I can't login for a good long while then.

Edit: Apparently I could log in, even though I haven't activated my account. (even though the website says I can't)

Now that I'm looking at the user interface, after logging in as a developer account, I don't really like the design.
It seems you've abandoned the nicely looking blue edged theme of the frontpage and replaced it with a few dull paint images - it's all gray. Where's the colors that makes the site look good?

The profile interface looks really, really boring.

Edited by Jobo, 03 September 2011 - 11:14 AM.

[Nocturne]

If you did not receive this e-mail, please check your spam folder and allow upto 24 hours for it to come through.

First of all, I was a little disappointed when I saw that the activation e-mail wasn't already in my inbox when I logged into my e-mail.. Waiting 24 hours isn't really my cup of tea Usually php scripts just send the e-mail immediately, I don't know why yours wouldn't.

I guess I can't login for a good long while then.

Edit: Apparently I could log in, even though I haven't activated my account. (even though the website says I can't)

If I remember rightly, Beatson said somewhere that the activation is automatic in these prelimenary stages of the site. I certainly didn't get any e-mail and could log in (as you can) immediately... I suppose he should say that somewhere more explicitly!

[beatson]

If you did not receive this e-mail, please check your spam folder and allow upto 24 hours for it to come through.

First of all, I was a little disappointed when I saw that the activation e-mail wasn't already in my inbox when I logged into my e-mail.. Waiting 24 hours isn't really my cup of tea Usually php scripts just send the e-mail immediately, I don't know why yours wouldn't.

I guess I can't login for a good long while then.

Edit: Apparently I could log in, even though I haven't activated my account. (even though the website says I can't)

Now that I'm looking at the user interface, after logging in as a developer account, I don't really like the design.
It seems you've abandoned the nicely looking blue edged theme of the frontpage and replaced it with a few dull paint images - it's all gray. Where's the colors that makes the site look good?

The profile interface looks really, really boring.

Nocturne is correct, I've disabled e-mail activation for the time being - I believe I stated this on the opening post.

As for the design, although I agree the original design used on the front page is far better, it isn't very practical and would be extremely hard to work with in terms of changing things around and alterations to sizes etc. The current design is more fluent and (most importantly) can be changed easily. The reason users can't edit their game details at the moment is because in that section of the site I'm going to allow them to design their game pages as they please (colours, fonts, rounded corners, backgrounds etc etc.) - Doing this with the original design would be hard to achieve because of the intensity of the graphics.

Now that you've mentioned it, I have just thought of a way that the blue outline effects could work with the design, but maybe a little less intense. I'll mock up a quick design and see what it looks like, then post the link here for feedback.

edit: I still need to add a lot of user information to the profiles (sign up date, websites etc.)

edit2: Ok so I've swapped to a temporary design - let me know what you think. I'm finding it challenging to make this work.

Edited by beatson, 03 September 2011 - 12:50 PM.

[Osmium]

Lovely site and template.

One suggestion though. There should be a WIP section, where demos will be available for download, free of cost.

[Nocturne]

One suggestion though. There should be a WIP section, where demos will be available for download, free of cost.

I disagree... It's a serious site and I think that allowing WIPs may detract from the whole professional feel. It may also encourage people to post a whole load of games as WIP, but that they will not finish. That then causes problems and frustration for players.

[Jobo]

I agree with (choke!) Nocturne...

The new template within the profile page(s) is a lot better. But something is kinda throwing it off and I believe it may be the incredibly white text compared to the otherwise dark design. Maybe it should be a very light gray instead of pure white? It makes it kind of hard to focus on the text.

*fixed typo

Edited by Jobo, 04 September 2011 - 10:27 AM.

[coderJoe]

when a casual user browse by and click the 'Games' section, he is met by a 'Register to log in' request.
This is not good.
A casual surfer wont do a registration,only to find 3 packman-games, he will just surf on to an other portal.
You need tp present all available games to the casual surfer, and then if he decides to play one -then present him with the registration form.

[Nocturne]

when a casual user browse by and click the 'Games' section, he is met by a 'Register to log in' request.
This is not good.
A casual surfer wont do a registration,only to find 3 packman-games, he will just surf on to an other portal.
You need tp present all available games to the casual surfer, and then if he decides to play one -then present him with the registration form.

That is an excellent point. I agree completely... As I log in as a Dev, I have never actually tried to play as a casual user so haven't seen that. If I was casual and got that, I wouldn't be back...

[Jobo]

Huh, never actually noticed that as I log in as a developer as well.

Anywhom, I noticed a little thingy that annoys me.
When clicking on a game and going to that games' page, you'll be welcomed by a small unclickable screenshot and 2 buttons under it saying "2" and "3".
First off, there's technically not a #1 since you can't click the thumbnail. But what I don't like is that it opens a new page to display the screenshot.
Make (or embed) a JavaScript image viewer, they're easy to find on google. That's how YoYo Games got theirs.

Furthemore, the Like/Dislike button doesn't go with the color theme of the design at all. It stands out unpleasantly.

"add a comment..." in the comment text field should be written with a small JavaScript that deletes the standard text when you focus on the field, and adds it again when it loses focus (unless user has written in the field). But that's hardly necessary, would just be a nice effect. And I'm lazy.

And here's a little bug I found: http://img534.images...1/crysetbug.png

[beatson]

hmm, seems there are a few things I need to amend. I'll get to them as soon as I can. I already have a widely used image viewer in mind that I may well implement tomorrow. I'll start working on a system to allow guests to view the game directory first though. Cheers for the feedback guys.

[beatson]

So a few updates to post. Taken your suggestions into account but have been really busy over the last few days. I'v implemented the JavaScript image embedder for the screenshots, added a 'more games by this user' on the guest pages, and have almost finished a directory for users that haven't logged in (will be released tonight).

I am however putting a bit of cash aside to possibly host a small competition for promotional purposes. Was thinking only a small prize pool at first, (£200/$318) - £125 for first place, £50 for second, £25 for third. The idea being that users upload their game, and then the game that gets the most 'likes' or makes the most cash (undecided) would win. This is however only an idea and the money could be used for other forms of advertisement and promotion, but I'd rather it go to developers other than big advertising companies. Would like opinions on this though, from idea's to choose how the competition is played out (how the competitors will be judged e.g. likes, amount of downloads, most money earned etc..) to whether it is actually a good idea, or whether it might be too soon to host something like this? I'd also like idea's on possible rules, I have a few in mind (themes, time limit etc.)


Cheers.

Edited by beatson, 06 September 2011 - 10:59 PM.

[Jobo]

You can't use most likes or income to base a competition off of. That would require the games to be uploaded at the exact second your competition started, so all games submitted before this won't be able to enter as they already have likes and/or made cash.

Personally, I think it's too soon to host one. You have far from enough users yet to make a solid competition.

And I really don't think you should make a replica of the gmc jam. Don't set it up with forced theme, time limit and whatever.
Have people submit their very best game to compete against other developers very best games.

[Nocturne]

Hmmm... competition. Timing is of an essence in a venture like this. You have to make sure it doesn't coincide with Ludum Dare or the Jam or any other competition that will draw people away from yours. For judging, you could maybe ask a few well know developers to be judges (Nal, Cactus, Banov, Mr.Chubiggans etc etc etc...) as this would give your site automatic exposure and also encourage users to give a better shot and create a more impressive game. It should also be a longer affair, not just a week or two... more like a month (or three!) so that you can get the best from people as well and I do think that you should have a theme. It gives a solid base for judging and is also a good way to fire up peoples imagination. Choosing it is another thing, however!